Friendship it is
by HannahScho
Summary: Set at the end of the Silent Witness series 14 episode Bloodlines.    What happened in the time between Leo and Nikki finding a shocked and bloodied Harry and the trio leaving Budapest? My take on it is here. One shot.


Set at the end of the series 14 episode Bloodlines. What happened in the time between Leo and Nikki finding a shocked and bloodied Harry and the trio leaving Budapest? My take on it is here. One shot.

* * *

"Is he alright?", Nikki asked Leo, not being able to take her eyes off Harry who was lying there with his bloodied face, staring at her in shock.

"He will be," Leo answered softly, just as the paramedics came to take a look at Harry. Harry sat up, still staring into space as the paramedics examined him and Nikki and Leo eyed him closely. The examination was quickly over; Harry didn't seem seriously injured but would be taken into hospital to have the wounds and bruises tended to.

"Can I speak with you a moment?" detective Orban asked Leo.

"Of course," Leo said and they walked away out of earshot.

Nikki sat down next to Harry who still seemed immobile. She studied his profile as he continued staring ahead of him, then reached out and took his hand. This contact stirred him and he turned to look at her, still wordless. Nikki's other hand reached up and stroked his cheek very gently, once, twice. He gave her a watery smile in return and she smiled back. They held each other's gaze a moment longer before she broke it and laid her head on his shoulder, not letting go of his hand. He in turn rested his head on top of hers and so they sat in silence for a long while, both of them staring ahead.

Leo and the detective Orban returned just as the paramedics came to escort Harry to the ambulance. Nikki clung to Harry's hand harder, not ready to let go. The detective noticed and said to Nikki, "Our police car will drop you and Mr. Dalton at the hospital. We will come back there later to pick up Mr. Cunningham, if he is well enough, to take his statement at the police office."

"I will be well enough," Harry said, giving a nod to the detective and speaking his first words in what seemed like forever. "And I will be alright," he said to Nikki who was studying him, giving her a tentative smile and easing his hand loose from hers.

He turned to look at Leo and said a quiet "Thank you," before allowing himself to be taken to the ambulance.

* * *

Nikki and Leo reached the hospital and came into the examination room just as they were studying the bruising on Harry's back.

Harry's face lit up when his two friends entered the room and Nikki breathed a sigh of relief. Harry seemed to be returning to the land of the living, the smile on his face looked sincere again.

"Where is the detective?" Harry asked, "I think I owe him an apology."

"I have already apologized," Leo said and Harry nodded. "But you will see him at the police station later and you can talk to him then." Harry nodded again and winced as disinfectant touched the wound on his forehead.

"I'll go to the embassy and see about a passport and travel documents for you," Leo continued. "You stay with him, Nikki?" he asked and encouragingly squeezed her hand. Of course Nikki would.

She stayed by his side as he was released from hospital care, she stayed by his side as he and Nikki were taken to the police station for their statements and Harry was given back his bag of clothes that had been kept in evidence, she stayed by his side until they finally got back to the hotel and she made sure he got into the bathtub.

When Harry finally came out of the bathroom, all freshened up and in clean clothes, he studied Nikki for a moment who was sitting on the bed reading a newspaper. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you for being there, Nikki," he said quietly.

"Anything for you, Harry," she answered, smiling, as she folded the paper and got up.

"So, do you want to come down to the restaurant for a cup of coffee? We'll wait for Leo and then have something to eat. We can also book a hotel room for you, you can have some peace and quiet after all you've been through."

"No," Harry protested, "I'd rather stay with you and Leo in this room. There are 2 double beds, room enough, I can share with Leo."

"Alright," Nikki smiled, just as Leo was entering the room. "You're having a bed partner, Leo. Harry's sleeping with you tonight, he doesn't want his own room."

Leo grinned, "Wouldn't want it any other way."

Nikki then handed her telephone over to Harry. "You have to call your mum, Harry. In the police car to the hospital I called her to say you were alright and that you'd call her yourself later."

Harry nodded and took the phone. "We'll wait for you downstairs," Leo added and he and Nikki left the room.

* * *

They had dinner in the hotel restaurant. Leo had arranged for travel documents and a flight back to London for the next day. All they needed to do was pick up the documents at the embassy the next day. They stayed at the bar for drinks after dinner, talking and being silent in turns, glad to be all together again, before finally heading back to the hotel room to get some rest.

Harry & Nikki took turns getting into their nightwear. They were each just settling into their respective beds when Leo finally was able to get a hold of Janet on his phone and he stepped outside to talk to her.

Harry and Nikki lay in their separate beds staring at the ceiling.

"Harry…" Nikki said softly after a while.

"Hmmm" he responded, turning to look at her

"You and Anna, it was serious wasn't it?" she asked carefully, still focussing on the ceiling.

Harry studied Nikki for a while, absentmindedly.

"I don't know," he said, "we were at the beginning."

"But she felt right to you, didn't she?" Nikki asked, now turning to look at him.

"I suppose so…" he said and then turned away from her again.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry." Nikki said and returned her gaze to the ceiling. "It is none of my business."

Harry remained silent for a short moment, then continued, "She was going to tell me something before she died. It must have been about the pregnancy. She accused me of never being serious, of keeping people at a distance and covering up my feelings with flippancy. She got quite angry with me and she was right, you know. She made me think."

"Think of what?" Nikki asked carefully.

"She made me think about what I wanted out of life. She challenged me that way and for a moment I thought I could do it. Ever since Niall I have been thinking about this… this bachelor existence of mine. Is that really what I want? She called me on that and for a moment I thought maybe she could be the one I could settle down with, maybe she really was the one…"

Harry's voice trailed off and Nikki didn't answer, her thoughts in turmoil over the possibility of Harry leaving. With another woman. When she thought Harry was dead, she had told Leo that she had thought there would be time, a time maybe one day for her and Harry to be together. That time would not come, she realized now. He didn't care for her in that way. He had loved Anna, and before that other women but not Nikki. Not in that way. The pain of it swept over her. She had been foolish, so foolish, and now it was too late. There would be no Harry and Nikki together. Not like that.

When she remained silent for so long Harry turned back to look at Nikki again who was still staring at the ceiling.

"Nikki?" he asked. She didn't respond. Then again, "Nikki?"

"Hmm, yes?" she said distractedly, coming back from the trail of thought that had carried her away, pushing aside the wave of nausea she felt at what she had just realized.

"I thought you'd fallen asleep," he said softly.

"No," she said, "I was thinking."

"About?"

"You. Yes, you do cover up your feelings with humour, Harry. That's part of who you are and Anna would have had to learn to deal with that. Don't change. Don't make fear of being alone change who you are, not for anyone."

"But she was right, I keep people at a distance that way." Harry said.

Nikki turned to lie on her side, her hand propped under her head and looked at Harry. "Not me. And not Leo. We are not at a distance." she said.

They looked at each other for a moment before Harry slowly started smiling. "I suppose not." Nikki smiled back.

Harry then got up and walked over to her bed. "Move over," he said and Nikki obliged. They lay next to each other on their backs, side by side, staring at the ceiling for a few minutes longer, in silence.

"Before Anna's father died, he said something to me," Harry then started again. "He said that Anna was hard and that what she wanted more than anything in life was a child of her own and that she had only used me for that. I told him that I had come to know Anna as a caring person, not hard like that but now I wonder. I could possibly have given up everything for someone who didn't really love me for me."

Nikki reached over to take Harry's hand and squeeze it. "She loved you."

He looked at her, "You never met her, how would you know?"

"What's not to love?" Nikki let slip and then quickly turned her gaze back to the ceiling to conclude with, "You're a fun, warm person, intelligent, not unpleasant to look at, of course she was dazzled by you. Many women are and you know it."

"Being dazzled is different than being loved."

"Not at first and you said so yourself, you were at the beginning of being with her. Being dazzled could well turn into true love, you know."

Harry grinned, "You make strong arguments"

"I have to, to remain friends with you," she smiled, turning her head to look back at him.

"I'm glad you're my friend," he smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're alive," Nikki added softly, seriously, and they both held each other's gaze for a few moments.

Then Harry whispered, "Come here," and gathered her into his arms, holding her close to him. She nestled her head under his chin as he stroked her hair. They didn't say another word, just held on to each other and soon they drifted off to sleep.

When Leo came back to the room after having talked to Janet on the phone for 45 minutes that's how he found his two colleagues and friends and he smiled as he got into his bed alone.

* * *

Nikki woke the next morning and felt Harry lying behind her, his arm resting around her waist and she savoured the feel of him so close against her. She closed her eyes again and smiled. Then last night's conversation came flooding back to her. Harry's admission that he had considered staying, here in Budapest, with Anna. Yes, Harry loved her, she knew that, but he didn't love her in _that_ way. She knew that too. Suddenly she couldn't bear the closeness anymore and carefully started to slip away.

"Where are you going?" she heard Harry whisper.

She wanted to say "I'm not Anna, it's her you want to hold close, not me" but after all he had been through, making him deal with petty jealousy wasn't right, so she just said, "The bathroom".

She sat up and looked at him. He smiled up at her. She couldn't help but smile back.

The hotel room door opened, in came Leo. "Ah, you're up!" he said.

"Have you been talking to Janet all night?" Harry grinned.

Leo grinned back, "Getting back to your old self, I see. No, by the time I got back to the room I found you two asleep already and I was just up now to get the morning paper."

Nikki quickly made her way to the bathroom, leaving Leo and Harry to chat. She quickly freshened up and got dressed.

When she came out again she offered to be the one to pick up Harry's passport at the embassy and their flight tickets. "I can go," Leo offered but she said no, she was sure he and Harry could use some time alone together. She and Harry had talked enough last night, now was Leo's turn.

"Are you OK, Nikki?" Leo asked in concern as soon as Harry had disappeared into the bathroom.

She gave her most dazzling smile, "Yes, I am fine. Harry's back, that's all that counts! Thanks, Leo…"

She then quickly stuffed all her possessions in her bag, Leo looking on concerned. She ignored him and made small talk until she was done packing.

"I'm good to go, we can leave as soon as I get back" she said and then left him with a quick peck on the cheek before Harry had even finished in the bathroom.

"Don't forget to pick something up for breakfast before you head out!" he called after her as she walked out.

When she came back, Harry and Leo were all ready in the hotel room, watching the news on TV which was all about the whole baby trafficking scandal which had just been unearthed with Harry's involvement. As they left, a picture of Anna appeared on the TV screen. Nikki's heart went out to Harry as he was looking at the screen. It was hard to see her best friend suffer so. No matter what, Harry was still her best friend and she vowed to always be there for him. "Friendship it is, then", she thought for the hundredth time that morning. Harry then turned around, away from the screen, and followed his two friends out of the hotel room. They were going back to London to pick up their lives again there...


End file.
